Sustained release vitamin C tablets offer high absorption for longer, says new pharmacokinetic study

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Supplementation with a sustained release oral tablet of vitamin C may result in high levels of absorption for longer, according to a recent pharmacokinetic study. In the study, 18 healthy adults under fasting conditions were given either 500 mg of a sustained release oral vitamin C tablet called C-Fence, from Nutriventia (Mumbai, India) or placebo. A total of 17 blood samples were collected from each subjects, including four pre-dose samples, and 13 post-dose samples. These samples were then analyzed for the pharmacokinetic parameters of L-ascorbic acid.

Results showed that vitamin C from the sustained release tablet was well absorbed, and these levels were sustained above baseline values for the entire 24-hour study duration. The average time to achieve maximum levels in plasma following supplementation with the sustained release tablet was about 4.5 hours compared to the two to three hours seen in immediate-release formulations. Additionally, at 12-, 16-, and 24-hours post-dose, the plasma concentrations remained high above both baseline concentrations and peak concentrations in the placebo group.

“Vitamin C is the single vitamin that consumers historically turn to for immune and overall wellness,” said Anand Godbole, vice president marketing for Nutriventia, in a press release. “A majority of consumers take higher doses in the effort to flood their bodies with the vitamin, but more are understanding that to do so is to waste it, as well as their money. The new technology used in our C-Fence allows health-conscious consumers to achieve the desired higher doses, as shown by our new study.”

C-Fence is made from Nutriventia’s direct-compression granules of vitamin C combined with the company’s proprietary modified-release technology that allows for smaller doses of vitamin C to be released consistently over time.

Reference

1. Rajat S et al. “Pharmacokinetics of a novel sustained-release vitamin C oral tablet: A single dose, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.” Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapeutics, Published online ahead of print on July 21, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1177/0976500X221111669